Mike Stalter

Mike was born and raised in Pontiac, Illinois; he graduated from Illinois State University in December of 1982. Mike worked for his father in the family business while growing up and all through college. He learned to operate heavy equipment, bulldozers, backhoes and excavators, working on farm drainage projects.

He met his future wife, Mary, in May of 1983 and they were married in January of 1985. After getting married, Mike went back to Illinois State University to earn his teaching certificate, becoming a Social Studies teacher. His first teaching job was teaching inmates at the maximum security prison in Pontiac, Illinois, in May of 1987. After teaching inmates for almost 2 years, Mike was promoted into the Business Office as the Business Manager, where he stayed for the rest of his career in Corrections. Mike took advantage of an early retirement buyout in 2004, leaving as the Chief Fiscal Officer of the Pontiac Correctional Center.

Taking the early retirement buyout due to Mary’s long battle with breast cancer, Mike returned to teaching in the public schools, after dealing with his father’s death, Mary’s death and a failed second marriage. Mike took the advice of some friends and decided to write a book on his experience of being married to a woman for 23 years who fought a 17½-year battle with breast cancer and the struggles he has had in the 4 years since Mary’s death. With the encouragement of his 2 children, Tom and Sarah, Mike has written a heart-felt book titles Still Have Faith, on what he experienced over this time period.

His hope is to help others understand the struggles associated with having a loved one fight against a terminal illness. Mike also hopes to raise awareness for the caregivers of terminally ill people and the jobs they do.

This is a story about a husband’s emotions, feelings, and struggles in dealing with his wife’s 17½ year battle with breast cancer and the 4 years since her death. Over this time period Mike had to deal with the deaths of other family members, raising his two children, his relationship with God, and rebuilding his life. It is a very compelling story written from a man’s perspective on how men think and feel in a very down-to-Earth style like it is being told to the reader by a friend.

For every book sold $1 will be donated to cancer research.